


Katharsis

by Darkrealmist



Series: Yu-Gi-Oh! Antagonist Prose [9]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga), Yu-Gi-Oh! R (Manga)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Blood, Canon - Manga, Card Games, Dark Character, Drama, Dreams vs. Reality, Fantasy, Fear, Female-Centric, Gen, Gothic, Horror, Master/Servant, Mercenaries, Not Canon Compliant, Origin Story, Rare Characters, Smoking, Suicide, Tragedy, Vampires, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, Wordcount: Over 1.000, Wordcount: Under 10.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 04:38:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18985432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkrealmist/pseuds/Darkrealmist
Summary: Tilla Mook celebrates the precious gift of death.





	Katharsis

Katharsis

Author’s Note: Wrote this thirteen years ago. Be forewarned that this fic contains references to suicide. Enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of Yu-Gi-Oh! R.

Summary:

Tilla Mook celebrates the precious gift of death.

* * *

Lost…That was what she was. Eternally trapped within a labyrinth of her own creation, she now understood everything. The reality was obvious and unkind: The only hope that awaited her at the end of her trials was failure.

Better to die than to continue living an unrewarding existence. A frivolous, scathing existence. How she longed to awaken, to have the comfort of knowing that it was all a dream. How she wished to escape her fate, but neither of the notions offered her the solace she sought.

Her current state of mind was not unlike that of her childhood. When she was young, everyone avoided her. She had no friends, and was treated badly by her abusive parents. She was always alone with no place to go. It was no surprise that solidarity led her down a dangerous path. She met all sorts of shady characters in her lifetime: thieves, hustlers, gamblers, addicts. Grew up learning the “trade,” breaking into homes, running numbers, and selling stolen goods on the black market.

It was a night in November that she came to realize her mistake.

Foolish, she’d been.

Awaiting the arrival of her “buddies,” a can of beer did little to calm her aching muscles. The wind that blew through the cemetery was like a knife against her body. Yes, the cool metal she could presently feel above her wrists.

It was cold at that time as well. She remembered her hands were turning blue. Desire for warmth overcame her that moment, and she reached into her jacket pocket, searching for the pack of cigarettes that was always conveniently tucked in her pocket. Upon its removal, she flipped it open and pulled out a smoke. She quickly returned the pack to her pocket before putting the cigarette to her lips and lighting it. Barely through her first drag, she heard footsteps. They loudened each passing second, signalling the impending arrival of her acquaintances.

She dropped her cigarette, stepping on it to snuff out the glowing ash. In her slightly inebriated state, things seemed cloudy. Indeed, she should have paced herself as she wobbled towards the blurs ahead of her, for she almost tripped on a tombstone.

“Dammit, I am so wasted.”

A blow to the back of her head rendered her unconscious.

When she finally awoke hours later, her “buddies” had long made off with the money made in their latest heist, which she had kept hidden for a month, as she was the only one of them not listed in police records. Suspicions would not have fallen on her as a result.

Ever since that day, she taught herself to trust no one. She could only rely on herself. Whenever her bosses were ready to close deals, she would take the riches and run, often adopting a new identity each time. She knew it was pointless, though. No matter where she went, they would not be far behind.

Then she gave up, sick and tired of running. Her capture imminent, she returned to the cemetery where she had been so harshly betrayed. For hours she sat atop the disturbed earth, under the pouring rain, and reminisced about the past. Crushed by sadness and curled in a ball, the voice in her head that urged her forward seemed distant and unappealing. Then it became more demanding and impossible to deny.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not hear the approaching mobsters, each brandishing a bladed weapon or handgun. Some cracked their knuckles in delight as they approached the drenched and seemingly defenceless woman.

As one of the thug’s took hold of her shoulder, fingers pressing hook-like into her collarbone, an anguished howl came from within her. The fear that never left since her adolescence resurfaced in her mind. It was the fear that she would be unable to overcome her attackers.

With a blank expression on her face, she murmured, "Papa?"

The thug sneered and cocked his gun. “Time for bed, baby.”

She shielded her ears as a piercing bang rang through the air.

The rain continued to pour, and the blood slid from her clothing and cheeks. She stood, a pang of disbelief striking her. She wept, frightened and confused, as she looked upon the dispatched group of criminals.

Several minutes passed, and only her cries echoed through the graves.

“What will you do now?” A man emerged from behind a rotted tree, throwing his wiped firearm aside and offering her shelter under his umbrella. “Where will you go from here?”

“Y-you did this. But why?”

He gestured comically with both hands, keeping a firm grasp on his umbrella as he did so. “ _Why_? Don’t you want to live, girl?”

As he stepped out under the moonlight, his appearance became clearer. He wore a crimson-coloured suit, and had snow-white hair tied back in a ponytail.

She reflected on his question, and then answered with stubborn certainty in her voice, “No. I want to die! I don’t want to run anymore! So pick up that gun and finish your work!”

“My, my, quite the devil child, aren’t you?” he laughed.

She spat. “Who are you? What do you want with me?”

He calmly introduced himself, disregarding the woman’s glare. “I am Tenma Yako, protégé of Pegasus J. Crawford.”

“The head of Industrial Illusions?”

“Yes, and you are quite a fortunate young lady. You see, I require a group of people to help me carry out a little project.”

“What project is that?”

“All will be revealed soon, I assure you. Please, come with me.” He began walking away without her approval.

“Pernicious schmuck.”

That is all she could recall. She hated herself for trying to remember, for it only caused her more pain, but she desired to have something to take with her to her death.

_I had the honour of playing against the King of Duelists. That’s something._

She mouthed his name, but no words came from her throat.

_You took everything from me. I should despise you with every last bit of my being, yet I don’t. Is that the effect you have on people, Mr. Duel King? You cheated me out of my cash reward, and I still cannot find it in my heart to even curse you._

The images of the heated battle arose from her tattered psyche, a patchwork of memories.

“Welcome to my Duel Field, Mutou Yugi. You’ve kept my master waiting for quite some time.”

“Your master?”

“Yes…The immortal lord who sleeps within my Deck.” She presented her Duel Disk. “Once you are defeated, my master will revel in stripping you of your life, one drop of blood at a time!”

“I don’t think so, Card Professor!” He deployed his own disk.

“Then let’s begin. I’ll go first!” She drew a card from her Deck and added it to her hand. “I’ll set one card face-down, and then summon Blood Sucker in Attack Position.”

Her horror appeared from the ground. The fanged beast had a slouched posture, long tongue, and leathery wings sprouting from its arms.

“Turn end!” she announced.

“My turn! Draw!”

She eyed him carefully. Although there was no change in her expression, nervousness gripped her.

“I summon Magnet Warrior β!”

The tiny soldier was called forth in a flash of lightning, accompanied by a whirling gravitational force.

“Magnet Warrior β, attack her monster!”

The warrior obeyed, hovering for several moments over the demonic spawn before zapping it across the chest with a magnetized punch.

Yugi was surprised to see his opponent's calm demeanour had not faltered.

“So that attack was really –!”

“You’ve noticed, huh?” she interrupted him mid-sentence. “I activate the Trap Card, Blood Thirst! This card can only be activated when one of my monsters is destroyed, and it allows me to Special Summon Vampire Lady from my Deck!”

A dark shadow erupted, taking the form of a bat before landing in front of its mistress. The animal’s body twisted until it transformed into a beautiful undead queen.

“At the risk of taking damage, you went to all this trouble just to call upon this monster. Does it have something to do with this so-called ‘master’ of yours?” Yugi set another two cards face-down before ending his turn.

“How observant of you.”

Yugi smiled. “Show me the sleeping king of your Deck.”

Her face mirrored his, a smile crossing her lips. “As you wish.”

_Why do I call him my master? Did he save me during times of torment, or was it something else that justified such a formality? From the deepest depths, when I was doomed to ruin, I saw him. I gazed past Yako, and saw my master there. My one chance for salvation, and I embraced it. Now, the debt must be repaid._

“I sacrifice Vampire Lady to summon…”

An air of unrest filled the room as she shouted his name.

“Curse of Vampire!”

The armoured revenant threw back his cape in his advent, locking his sights on Yugi.

“Curse of Vampire, attack with Nail Fang Blow!”

With incredible speed, the vampire jetted forward toward Yugi's Magnet Warrior, thrusting its extended nails down in an overhead swipe.

Yugi coughed on the smoke of the explosion, his monster fading away in two clean-cut pieces.

“So, this is your master,” Yugi began.

“That’s correct. Curse of Vampire is the mightiest creature of the night that will put an end to you once and for all. Of course, that is why he is the Immortal Ruler.”

“We’ll see about that! Trap Card, Soul Rope!”

“Soul Rope?”

“Soul Rope is activated when one of my monsters is destroyed due to battle. A Level 4 monster is Special Summoned from my Deck! I choose Magnet Warrior γ!”

Another soldier took battle stance in the spot where Yugi’s previous servant had been.

“It’s my turn again! Draw! I play Gazelle the King of Phantom Beasts in Attack Position!”

The horned monarch growled, appearing to the right of Magnet Warrior γ.

“Next, I’ll activate the Magic Card, Union Attack! This card unites my two monsters, giving them the ability to attack as one! Go, Double Impact!”

Both of Yugi’s monsters charged his opponent’s Curse of Vampire, tearing a huge hole through the undead lord’s stomach.

“Resurrection,” she said grimly.

The vanquished vampire rose once more from her Duel Disk, sinking his fangs into her neck.

As she recovered from the bite, she could hear gasps from Yugi and his friends.

“This is the regenerative ability my master possesses. By drinking my blood, he prolongs his life and gains five hundred extra Attack Points.” She rubbed the part of her neck where his teeth had entered.

“I guess it’s my turn. Draw! During this Battle Phase, I’ll take your life away by force! Magic Card, Overpowering Evil Eye! This card can be activated when a vampire is face-up on the Field. Your monsters cannot defend.”

They knelt, almost grovelling at her feet.

“Additionally, my vampire may attack directly! Sharpness Nail Blade!”

Getting up close, the dark king slashed Yugi twice with his claws. Yugi held his sides, trying to maintain balance.

“Still alive? It doesn’t matter. If you do not manage to summon a monster your next turn, Curse of Vampire will drain you to zero!”

Her challenger drew from his Deck, revealing his new warrior.

“By sacrificing Magnet Warrior γ and Gazelle the King of Phantom Beasts, I invoke the draconic Buster Blader!”

The knight stood taller than both competitors, a great sword studded with gold clutched between its hands.

She cracked up, “Even though that monster is stronger than Curse of Vampire, my master will regenerate himself! Don’t you get it?”

Yugi closed his eyes. “I get it. That’s why I activate my set card, Magic Transfer.”

Shock engulfed her as her deathless idol took a defensive stance.

“Magic Transfer copies the effects of another Magic Card! I select your Overpowering Evil Eye, so that my Buster Blader may attack you directly!”

She was stunned. “What?”

Buster Blader approached her, lifting his blade high.

“No! This can’t be happening!” she screamed.

_It did. And now it’s like this…_

Sitting in the corner of a dark alleyway riddled with garbage, Tilla Mook poised the knife.

“Just like back then.” She let the edge descend.

The cold knife, like shattered glass on her wrist. Blood, thick with despair.


End file.
